Implementation Research and Practice, Volume 5, Issue , January-December 2024.
Preventing and treating mental health and substance use problems requires effective, affordable, scalable, and efficient interventions. The multiphase optimization strategy (MOST) framework guides researchers through a phased and systematic process of developing optimized interventions. However, new methods of systematically incorporating information about implementation constraints across MOST phases are needed. We propose that early and sustained integration of community-engaged methods within MOST is a promising strategy for enhancing an optimized intervention’s potential for implementation. In this article, we outline the advantages of using community-engaged methods throughout the intervention optimization process, with a focus on the Preparation and Optimization Phases of MOST. We discuss the role of experimental designs in optimization research and highlight potential challenges in conducting rigorous experiments in community settings. We then demonstrate how relying on the resource management principle to select experimental designs across MOST phases is a promising strategy for maintaining both experimental rigor and community responsiveness. We end with an applied example illustrating a community-engaged approach to optimize an intervention to reduce the risk for mental health problems and substance use problems among children with incarcerated parents.Plain Language Summary TitleStrategies for Engaging Communities and Ensuring Research Quality in the Multiphase Optimization StrategyPlain Language SummaryWhat is already known about the topic? Interventions must be effective, affordable, scalable, and efficient to be successfully implemented and achieve maximum public health impact. The multiphase optimization strategy is a strategic and phased approach to developing optimized interventions. Community-engaged research has been used to bolster an intervention’s potential for implementation.What does this paper add? The article guides researchers who are employing community-engaged research methods to systematically conduct activities in different phases of the intervention optimization process. The end goal is to create an optimized intervention ready for successful implementation in its intended delivery setting.What are the implications for practice, research, or policy? Incorporating input from key stakeholders in every phase of the intervention optimization process can enhance the public health impact of community-based interventions for mental health and substance use problems.